Look around you. There are riches everywhere.
Louisiana has more natural resources than any of the 48 contiguous states. And yet it is considered one of the poorest states in the nation.
First there is oil and gas. Louisiana is the number one producer in those states onshore and offshore.
And our fisheries abound. Our coastal estuaries are the birthplace of more than half the commercial fish caught in those same states.
But don’t stop there. The greatest river in the country flows through us and into international waters. It leads to and from big productive and consumer areas in Latin America and into the heartland of our country. And it’s an easy float across the great oceans that connect to every other continent in the world.
Add to those natural resources the industries that benefit from them. Like the petrochemical giants that take advantage of the petroleum produced, the shipping industry that transports, loads and unloads the freight and the factories that process the fish and prepare them for the market.
With all of those advantages, how can Louisiana be one of the poorest states in the union? We doubt that it is but that is the impression nationwide.
At any rate, our next governor has a challenge. He can pursue a vibrant economy for our people by attracting the industry that can take advantage of those resources even moreso than they do today.
By so doing, he can benefit the people of our state and let the people of other states know how rich Louisiana really is.
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